pessimistic
Americanadjective
Synonym Usage
See cynical.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pessimistic
Explanation
Pessimistic describes the state of mind of someone who always expects the worst. A pessimistic attitude isn't very hopeful, shows little optimism, and can be a downer for everyone else. To be pessimistic means you believe evil outweighs the good and that bad things are more likely to happen. So pessimistic people are usually pretty negative. And kind of a bummer to be around. Think of Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh's perpetually gloomy friend. The word comes to us, not surprisingly, from the Latin pessimus — meaning "worst."
Vocabulary lists containing pessimistic
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I asked about my home. They told me it is totally destroyed, but we did not get pessimistic because we're happy to return, and when we get there we'll see what we can do."
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
“Overall, people are taking a rather pessimistic view of their financial situation over the next twelve months,” according to the survey’s authors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Younger people are particularly pessimistic: A recent Gallup poll found that just 43% of Americans ages 15 to 34 think now is a good time to find a job.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
In a disturbing plot twist, the normally pro-growth Texas governor has recently adopted an uncharacteristically pessimistic message on a particular industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
“If young people do not obtain the right credentials—they call it the ‘right spec’—they become very pessimistic.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
